Folding periscope



May 19, 1970 c. SCOTT 3,

FOLDING PERISCOPE so, filed NW 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 32s. 1 26 24 FIG?- 2.

//v I/EA/TOA? CHA/QES. Sea 77 5 Y Eon/A20 0. OER/AN United States Patent 3,512,878 FOLDING PERISCOPE Charles Scott, 800 W. Barkley Ave., Suite N, Orange, Calif. Filed Nov. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 687,018 Int. Cl. G021) /08 US. Cl. 350-301 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A folding periscope is disclosed which has two mirrors connected by expandable linkage means and a flexible tunnel structure. The linkage means are of such a character that they may be expanded so as to position the mirrors in an operative position for use as a periscope. In this position the tunnel structure extends between the mirrors. The linkage means are also constructed so as to be capable of being located in a collapsed position in which the mirrors are adjacent to one another and in which the tunnel structure is to a degree collapsed. Preferably, the linkage means are connected to the mirrors so that in a collapsed position the entire structure can be folded so as to assume a flat type of configuration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A periscope is a type of device used in enabling a person to achieve a field of view which could not otherwise be obtained. Periscopes are most commonly formed so as to utilize a tubular type of support holding two mirrors so that these mirrors are located at an angle, such as a 45 angle to the axis of the support, parallel to one another at the opposite ends of the support. Devices of this type are quite commonly used for military and related applications.

However, they are used much less frequently for more commonplace uses such as seeing over a crowd in a parade, play purposes and the like because of a number of reasons of a purely practical or utilitarian type. These reasons involve the fact that conventional periscopes, because of their constructions are comparatively bulky type devices which are relatively difficult to store in periods of non-use and relatively diflicult and undesirable to carry about, as for example, when going to a parade. As a result of these and related factors, frequently periscopes are not used when it would be advantageous to use them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide new and improved periscopes which overcome the aforegoing and various related disadvantages of prior periscope structures as are briefly indicated in the preceding. Another object of the present invention is to provide periscopes which can be collapsed or folded into a very compact package so that they may be easily stored and/or moved from one location to another. A further objective of this invention is to provide periscopes which can be easily collapsed or folded for storage or movement and which can just as easily be opened so as to assume an operative configuration. Another object of this invention is to provide folding periscopes as indicated which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which may be effectively utilized.

In accordance with this invention, these various objectives are achieved by connecting two elements capable of reflecting light by a linkage which is capable of being expanded and contracted in such a way that when the linkage is expanded the light reflecting elements are located away from one another in a position such that a person viewing one of the light reflecting elements can view an image through the other light reflecting element.

3,512,878 Patented May 19, 1970 ice BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The actual details of this invention are best more fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a presently preently preferred embodiment or form of a folding periscope of this invention in an expanded or use configuration;

FIG. 2 is a rear-elevational view of the periscope shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view corresponding to FIG. 1, showing the periscope illustrated in FIG. 1 in a collapsed configuration;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the periscope shown in FIG. 4 in a collapsed configuration;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the periscope shown in FIG. 1 in a partially collapsed, folded configuration and FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of the periscope shown in FIG. 1 in a completely collapsed, folded configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings there is shown a periscope 10 in accordance with this invention. This periscope 10 has identical end plates 12 and 14 which carry sidewalls 16. A conventional mirror 18 is located on each of the plates 12 and 14 so as to be secured in place against movement. Cross bars 20 extend along and beyond the edges of the end plates 12 and 14 and beyond the sidewalls 16 on these end plates; those cross bars 20 are an integral part of (bent over ends) the plates 12 and 14. A mounting bracket 22 is located parallel to each of the sidewalls 16 and is attached to two of the cross bars 20 by means of pivot pins 24 carried by bent over ends 26. It will be seen that the brackets 22 are spaced from the end plates 12 and 14 by virtue of the fact that they are mounted on the cross bars 20 adjacent the extremities of these bars.

Each bracket 22 on the end plate 12 is connected to another bracket 22 on the end plate 14 by means of a linkage 28 which is capable of being expanded and contracted. The particular linkage 28 shown in the drawing is a conventional lazy tongs type of linkage having a plurality of principal links 30 connected at their ends and at their centers by means of pivot pins 32. The linkages 28 shown also include terminal links 34 which are shorter than the links 30 and which are connected to links 30 at the extreme ends of the linkages 28 so as to adapt these linkages to extend in a manner indicated in FIG. 1.

The terminal links 34 and extreme links 30 of the complete linkages 28 are also attached to their corresponding brackets 22 by means of similar pins or rivets serving as pivot pins 32. The terminal links 34 are provided with bent over ends 36 serving as stop means so as to limit the expansion of the entire linkages 28 by engaging the individual links 30 to which the terminal links 34 are attached. These ends 36 however are formed so as to permit disengagement of the engaged links 30 so as to permit collapse of the entire linkages 28.

It is not to be assumed from the foregoing that a so-called lazy tongs linkage is the only linkage which can be utilized with this invention. Other functionally equivalent linkages capable of being expanded and contracted can also be employed. Thus, for example, for the linkage 28 illustrated it is possible to substitute a linkage structure as shown in the Hutton U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,101, entitled Collapsible Constructions, issued Nov. 22, 1960.

The configuration of the linkages 28 in a collapsed configuration is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings. It will be seen that when the linkages 28 are collapsed, the links 30 and 34 overlie one another and are located next to one another so as to space the end plates 12 and 14 from one another. When the periscope is collapsed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, this periscope has a size advantage over conventional periscopes for storage, handling and various other related items. Even though the periscope 10 would be advantageous if it could be only collapsed as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the present invention makes it possible for this particular periscope to be folded fiat to be even more desirable.

Because of the use of the pins 24 connecting the brackets 22 to the cross bars and the use of the ends 26 once collapsed, the entire periscope 10 may be folded to essentially a flat configuration as indicated in FIG. 6 of the drawing. In this configuration, the end plates 12 and 14 are essentially opposite the linkages 28 utilized. The entire periscope 10 when so collapsed and folded is capable of being easily and conveniently stored, transported and the like.

For best results with the periscope 10, it is considered necessary to use with it a flexible, opaque or substantially opaque, tubular tunnel structure 38. The structure 38 shown has flexible sidewalls 40 attached to and carrier by the sidewalls 16 and other walls 42 connecting these sidewalls. It will be noted however that each of the walls 42 is spaced at each end of the periscope 10 from one of the end plates 12 or 14 so as to provide what may be considered a viewing opening adjacent to each of the mirrors 18. In the collapsed configuration, the tunnel 38 will assume a configuration substantially as indicated in FIG. 5. In the folded configuration of the periscope 10 the tunnels 38 will assume a configuration as indicated in FIG. 6. In the latter configuration the tunnel 38 may exercise a protective function with respect to the mirrors 18, tending to overlie these mirrors so as to prevent their being damaged.

It is considered that it will be obvious how the periscope 10 can be used from the aforegoing description. 'In its normal use or expanded position or configuration as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mirrors 18 are held parallel to one another so that an image may be viewed as indicated by the arrows A indicated in FIG. 1. When it is no longer desired to use the periscope 10, the end plates 12 and 14 may be merely pushed together so as to collapse the entire unit to a configuration as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. At this point the periscope 10 may be folded to a configuration indicated in FIG. 6 by pressure being applied to the collapsed periscope 10 at the upper or lower edge of either side of the device. When the, upper and lower brackets 22 located adjacent to the end blades 12 and 14 are off set from one another as shown the periscope 10 can be completely collapsed and folded as shown in FIG. 7. The periscope 10 may be reopened to an extended position for use by merely reversing this sequence of operation.

Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will realize that the periscope 10 is normally held in a stable manner in an extended position by the friction of the parts upon the pins 24 and 32. The use of rivets for these pins is presently considered preferably because such rivets hold various parts together in such a manner that they cannot be easily rotated. If desired, however, a conventional thumb screw or the like can be substituted for various of the pins 24 and 32 so that the entire periscope can be now firmly held in the expanded configuration.

I claim:

1. A periscope having two light-reflecting elements and two extensible, collapsible linkage means connecting said elements, said linkage means comprising a pair of lazy tong members lying in two parallel planes which are perpendicular to the planes of both reflectors wherein the improvement comprises:

said reflecting elements supported on mounting means,

two bracket means pivotally connected on two parallel sides of each mounting means, said linkage means having ends attached to corresponding bracket means on each mounting means so that said linkage means extend between said elements;

said corresponding bracket means lying in the same plane as said attached linkage means;

said linkage, bracket, and mounting means constituting a means by which said elements may be collapsed to a position of being vertically adjacent and then folded to a position of being laterally adjacent.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DAVID SCHONBERG, Primary Examiner A. M. OSTRAGER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 350306 

